1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-driven robotic cleaning apparatus and driving method thereof, and more particularly to a self-driven robotic cleaning apparatus and driving method thereof which cleans a toilet bowl after a cat comes around the bowl, relieves itself and leaves the bowl.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
A conventional self-propelled robotic cleaning apparatus is shown and described in Japanese laid open patent Application No. Sho 60-93524.
The self-driven robotic cleaning apparatus described in the application, as illustrated in FIG. 8, comprises a sensor 71 for detecting a travel distance of a robot; a sensor 72 for detecting a variation of travel directions; a position 20 discrimination means 73 whereby a robot position on a two-dimensional coordinate can be obtained by an operation based on outputs of the two sensors 71 and 72; and a learning means 79 for memorizing, on a gridded map, a travel region of the robot that corresponds to a unit block 86, as illustrated in FIG. 9, of the two-dimensional coordinate.
In FIG. 8, a reference numeral 87 is an operating unit, 88 is a receiving unit, 83 is a driving circuit, reference numerals 98, 100, 102 and 104 are input/output ports, reference numeral 90 covers memory units, ROM and RAM, 81 is a clock for generating clock pulses, 85 is a controller, 74 is an ultrasonic sensor for detecting an obstacle, 106 is a contact sensor.
Likewise, a reference numeral 108 is an amplifier, 116 and 118 are wheel driving motors, 97 is a transmitting unit, and reference numerals 110, 112 and 114 are operation units.
Accordingly, the self-driven robotic cleaning apparatus thus constructed, having a cleaning trace as illustrated in FIG. 9, is embodied to sense that the cat has been to the toilet bowl 82 in response to a sensor (not shown), and starts to move after a predetermined time has elapsed after the cat has been to the toilet bowl 82.
At this moment, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the robotic cleaning apparatus cleans a portion dirtied by the cat's foot prints and the like within a region of cleaning space, moving linearly in the cleaning space.
In FIG. 9, a reference numeral 82 is a toilet bowl, and an arrow 84 represents a direction in which the self-driven robotic cleaning apparatus travels.
Meanwhile, the self-driven robotic cleaning apparatus thus constructed is separately mounted with a sensor 71 for detecting a travel distance of the robot and a sensor 72 for detecting a variation of travel directions in addition to an ultrasonic sensor 74 for detecting an obstacle and an infrared sensor (not shown) for detecting a movement of the cat. Thus, the prior art had the drawback of increased manufacturing cost of the robot resulting from multitudes of sensors mounted on the robot.
Furthermore, because the robot cleans the region of space by moving linearly, it takes several minutes for the robot to clean, thereby causing a lack of cleaning efficiency.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a self-driven robotic cleaning apparatus and a driving method thereof, which can lower the manufacturing cost of the robot and shorten the cleaning time, thereby cleaning more efficiently.